Expert Talk: 12 Ways to Get a Designer-Kitchen Look

Houzz Contributor. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I found myself utterly unprepared for the real world and at a loss as to what I should do next. Luckily, one day I stumbled through the doors of Architectural Digest and was taken under the wing of legendary editor Paige Rense. She had the vision to look past my uninspiring sociology degree and my general lack of experience—an unlikely journalism career was born. After AD, with my magazine karma still intact, I was hired by yet another publishing legend, the food critic and writer Ruth Reichl. I currently ply my trade as a freelance writer and editor and live in stylish Mid-Century-Modern comfort with my dog, Mike.
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Houzz Contributor. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I found myself utterly... More

If you’re thinking about remodeling your kitchen, or you’re building a new one, interior designer Ines Hanl of The Sky is the Limit Design has got an idea that will suit your needs. Actually, as she explains here, she’s got dozens of suggestions. "I feel like my designs are very complex and thoughtful, no matter how simple the end result looks," she says. "And I have been told by some fellow designers and architects that they think I'm very playful as well." Here, she shares some secrets.

Play with proportion. Designed for a bachelor who lives in Victoria, British Columbia, this kitchen features textured Italian laminates in a faux-wood design, offset with stainless steel accents. "The laminates are a good contrast with the area's ever-so-popular oak flooring," Hanl says. "I played with proportion by using a balance of horizontal and vertical directions in the wood grains and an accent cabinet in a mushroom lacquer."

The curved tall unit on the left has stainless steel edging that accentuates the shape's dynamics. It hides a structural post but also serves as a display unit and a place for keys.

"He asked for a hint of blue, which we brought in with the quartz countertop as well as in the tile backsplash at the sink," Hanl elaborates. "The three-dimensional wave-shaped glass mosaic, which covers the entire window wall, combines all the colors I used in the kitchen."

Show off your collections. This kitchen has lots of detailing in the door style and the crown molding. "I honored the homeowners love for decorating by providing ample open and glass-door display cabinetry, beadboard detailing and off-white cabinetry with an amber glaze that's accentuated by sky-blue backdrops to make their china stand out," Hanl says.

Throw in some angles. This house sits on the cliffs of Pender Island off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, and overlooks the ocean. "The swooping ceiling line designed by Blue Sky Architecture, and the fir timber-frame construction, called for an appropriate approach in the interior finishes and lines," Hanl says. "We selected a 24-inch by 24-inch oyster slate for the floor, the lightest slate out there, and a rift-cut oak for the cabinetry that was stained a sort of bark color. We played with the stains a lot during the process and actually liked a trio of them. Inspired by one of the artworks in the owner's collection — she is a painter herself — we decided to use them in a collagelike manner on the fronts of her pantry and linen cabinets."

The layout of the kitchen is a simple U shape, and Hanl focused on the horizontal lines for a contemporary look. "However," she explains, "for architectural reasons we added a slightly angled peninsula to the end of one of the legs of the U. It's supported with a raw steel post that I had made by a local steel manufacturer and then artificially aged, or rusted, before it was waxed to look like a remnant coming from an old ship. The bar was made out of 6-inch-thick concrete blocks, and there's a small accent cabinet facing the dining room which is lacquered in a grayish green, to invoke the colors of the evergeens and arbutus trees outside."

The three-dimensional iridescent blue Oceanside glass tile in a wave shape on the backsplash is another reference to the grandious landscape.

Take an artistic approach. This kitchen also belongs to an artist, this time from the Netherlands. "It's a very poetic approach to a contemporary kitchen and very much focused on the client's artistic sensibility," Hanl says. "The mango-colored island with a water-driplike textured glass counter sits on a 'sea' of white pebble-in-resin tile. The flooring throughout is commercial-grade vinyl in a somewhat shimmering concretelike finish. It's very soft underfoot and easy to maintain."

The Italian laminate cabinet fronts are slightly textured and offset by the high-gloss island; the colors are united by an iridescent glass-stick tile backsplash. There's also a "really beautiful zebrawood tabletop that accentuates the bay window and offers a great spot to eat breakfast," she notes. "I also love the special door I had made that leads into the kitchen. It has an overheight stainless steel frame with a magnolia-leaves-in-resin panel."

Go for the bold. This is a custom residence located in a small community on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. "The owners were looking for high style and wanted a look that was urbane, tactile and natural with a touch of color," Hanl says. "I used what I call 'undulations' in organic and graphic forms. The organic aspect is reflected in the enlarged pattern of the base cabinetry, while the shape of the stainless steel bar adds a graphic element."

Italian high-pressure laminates and back-painted glass were used on the cabinetry. Bold touches include a tortoiseshell iridescent glass mosaic on the window wall, a stainless steel mosaic backsplash behind the stove, a back-painted iridescent blue glass countertop on the bar and a Cambria quartz counter that has reflective blue flecks."Overall, the room has a masculine feel," Hanl points out, "that's softened by tall units fronted in off-white back-painted glass [not shown], as well as the dash of color on the visual anchor cabinet at the entrance to the kitchen."

Use lots of color. Although they look very different, these cabinets were done by Martin Zemp, the same cabinetmaker who worked on the Vancouver Island kitchen in the previous photo.

"This is a modernized Victorian-style room, as in Victoria, the city where I live," Hanl says. "A lot of people here love that British-influenced style. The kitchen was designed for a young family with two teenagers and a real zest for color — I managed to use a total of 16 colors without making it look like a designer gone crazy. Because of privacy issues regarding the neighbors, we essentially changed all the windows along one side of the house and used two clerestory windows that are integrated into the British hob-style hood."

A 9-foot-long denim-blue island with a 4-foot-long black-fronted extension complements the glazed off-white cabinetry along with an oversize custom-turned blood-red table leg. "I played with the door styles to make things appear less formal," Hanl explains, "a simpler style on the white cabinets and more ornate with raised-panel doors with an outside profile on the island. I kept the crown buildup fairly simple to make it a bit more modern, but the thing that makes this kitchen appear so young is the choice of colors. You can see the owners' sense of joyous color in the African artwork and the choice of area rug."She adds that the glass-mosaic backsplash "is a custom blend that integrates five of the colors we used in the space, which helps pull it all together. I also accentuated the backsplash with pewter and bronze tiles to integrate the stainless steel appliances and the bronze faucet on the sink."

Highlight your curves. For an oceanfront home surrounded by fir trees in the northern rainforest of Canada, Hanl chose natural and chocolate-colored bamboo "for its straight, distinct yet quiet grain as a complement to the fir," she says. "To balance all this wood, I added chocolate-colored faux-leather paneling on the back of the island. It's made out of rubber, so it's easy to maintain. The blue and blood-red lacquered cabinets were inspired by the owners' favorite piece of art."

Although layout is a striking architectural design, it posed some spatial challenges. "The small prep island is a very sculptural piece," Hanl says. "I put it in between the single wall I had available to place a huge assortment of appliances and the long swooping curve of the actual work island. The soft curves I brought in to balance this dynamic and make the space functional incorporate and bridge the architect's angled theme. At the same time the island is a multipurpose unit. It's contains a prep sink, appliance center and bamboo butcher block section that's an easy-to-maintain eating area for the couple's two little girls."

Part of the kitchen also serves as an intricate, multifunctional room divider that incorporates all the different finishes and colors. It "refers to the angled nature of the architecture, this time in the shape of a fanned-out hand," she says.

Send a subtle message. The pineapple, a symbol of hospitality and welcoming, was chosen by this kitchen's owner for the custom-made posts on the 4-foot by 8-foot island. The island top is Uba Tuba granite, complemented by walnut counters finished only with a food-safe wax called Good Stuff.

"The counter-sitting cabinet has a teakettle on a rollout and houses a selection of tea bags in the cubbies," Hanl notes. "Display was again important, as you can see by the inclusion of two big glass-front cabinets towards the back of the room."

Marry Arts and Crafts with a Tuscan theme. "The rest of the house has huge arched windows facing the lake and is surrounded by arbutus and evergreens," Hanl says. "I continued that characteristic into the kitchen and improved the flow of the room by relocating the double doors leading out to the deck. I also found a black Italian floor tile that sported a typical Arts and Crafts rose motif."

A simple slab door style was used "to stay true to the modern feeling of the design lines," she explains. "But to add a traditional feel we selected quarter-sawn man-made teak and combined it with a charcoal man-made wood veneer. To further match it to the wonderful Oceanside glass-metallic tile-blend backsplash, I added an Italian laminate in a charcoal-steel finish for contrast with the matte finish. The balance of finishes is also evident in the choice of countertops. A polished Cambrian black granite on the perimeter was paired with a brushed Metallicus granite on the island and the coffee center."

She adds that "the stainless steel pole was not a whim of mine. I couldn't bring electricity through the floor, so we had to come through the ceiling, and the pole is the conduit, which I integrated into a deliberately dimensioned multilevel island."

Create distinct work zones. "The character of a kitchen can be dramatically impacted by the use of glazes, as well as a careful selection of door styles and elements like crown molding," Hanl says. "I think this room shows my subtle but very distinct focus on proportion and rhythm when it comes to those elements."

It also reflects her approach to creating distinct work zones; note the organization of the tall units at the end of the room and the start of the work counter on the right. "The island, which is connected to a raised informal eating counter, has a prep sink," she points out. "The hutch on the left is slightly narrow to help give the island a decent depth."

Play up the exterior architecture. Ultramodern with a striking architectural design, this kitchen is in a custom home perched on the cliffs of Vancouver Island. "I employed the same architectural language as the materials used on the actual structure of the house: reclaimed birch from the Great Lakes, concrete, copper and steel," Hanl says.

This is evident throughout the space in the cabinetry, with details like the frameless glass corners (see the kitchen window, compared with the glass cabinetry), to the canopy shape of the custom hood, and the island. "I dubbed it 'Infinity Island,' because water in the form of a 1½-inch textured-glass runs down the wall from the hood, along the work counter and ends in a slightly lowered stainless steel prep-sink counter," she says.

Combine modern and traditional. We've all heard of this situation: A husband wants a modern feel, while the wife is looking for something traditional. In this kitchen, "the horizontal orientation of the banks of drawers speak a modernist language, whereas the simple, slightly enhanced Shaker-style door and the crown molding are a testament to traditional design," Hanl says.

"The almost-black stain combined with the unglazed off-white cabinetry has a very graphic connotation to it," she continues. "And once we enlarged the windows to the garden, the prevalent rock outcrops with lichen and moss growing on them became our inspiration for the dark olive-mushroom wall color. It made the view into the garden really pop!"

What an extraordinary talent to be able to work in such a wide array of styles with equally stunning results. And such a creative approach to problem-solving!

American consumers (and their Realtors) — constantly demanding solid hardwood cabinets and granite, granite, granite — should be forced to take a look at the number of laminate, vinyl, and untraditionally finished products Ms. Hanl uses here to brilliant effect.

All very beautiful and interesting, however, I am tiring of the force-fed design "requirements" of stainless steel appliances. Our dishwasher, trash compactor, and stove/oven are white (purchased before the steel explosion). All work perfectly. We had to buy a new refrigerator 1 1/2 yrs ago, and bought it in white so all our appliances would match.

Now, unless we replace all our appliances, at an estimated cost of at least $6,000, to appease the "steel gods", we are left being the outcast of designers offering kitchen makeovers.

I would like to see flooring, countertop, and cabinet re-staining (love the style of our current cabinets) options that would work with white appliances, giving it an updated look without following the herd.

from my point of view stainless is not necessarily something that is 'force fed', rather stainless acts as a neutral entity when it comes to a material package. In that way it is more like a shimmering grey, not necessarily 'steel', although i agree, a lot of people do not like the look of metal.
The white on appliances unfortunately does not work in combination with many finishes, as it typically has a rather blue cast to its hue. I also found that white plastic ages more, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.

The problem with stainless as well as black is that both finishes are super high maintenance, which is why we often try to use cabinet fronts at least on the dishwasher and the fridge, however, this is often a cost concern.

White by nature often appears like a white elephant- the bigger an item the more pronounced it looks in a white finish.
I could see white appliances easily in a very cheerful, colourful, fresh and contemporary kitchen!
Combining it successfully with wood unfortunately does not work all that well - it quickly takes on a rather cheap look...

And as a designer I would love love love to see more colourful appliances! it's been done with stoves already, but fridges are a bit of a rarity still...And of course I would have to get the clients on board with this...

I am curious... In the 4th photo (with the orange island) is the refrigerator covered with cabinet material, or is it a white refrigerator?
I like light but are all the "can" lights necessary?
The lighting under the island makes me feel like it's ready to take off!
They are beautiful kitchens! In building and trying to use some of these ideas, you realize how quickly the cha-ching bell rings!

yes, the island has quite a bit of a light show - originally it was intended to illuminate the glass countertop on that island with an led light wheel, but as it turned out that glass and it's underlying reflective white substrate already was looking like it was glowing due to the reflection of the 4 small pot lights above.
so the owner decided to use that colourwheel on the bottom, and at night one can enjoy quite the spectacle down there...looks a bit like a ufo landing, with the white pebble tile underneath that island reflecting all the varrious led colours...

as for the fridge - it does have plant on doors in the cabinet finish. there is no way I would have been able to match ( or - want to match, that is) an appliance white... And the European sensibility often asks for fridges to disappear - North American fridges are humongeous monsters for us, who are used to 60 cm wide appliances... :)

as for the pot lights - I tend to use 4" diameter low voltage pots ( being replaced now slowly by LED versions), and in order to achieve good general lighting they are being positioned about 36-42" apart on a ceiling grid. ALWAYS on dimmers! additional to this kind of general illumination we will add under cabinet puck lights, and other task lights like pendants, and occassionally an atmospheric light like illuminated display cabinetry, spot lights, or - as in this case - the glowing glass counter and the LED rope light for the base...

@ The Sky's the Limit
"White by nature often appears like a white elephant- the bigger an item the more pronounced it looks in a white finish. I could see white appliances easily in a very cheerful, colourful, fresh and contemporary kitchen! Combining it successfully with wood unfortunately does not work all that well - it quickly takes on a rather cheap look..."

I agree. I purposefully bought white appliances for a small closed-off kitchen in a heritage house that had white cabinets, so I'm not 100% on the SS bandwagon. But when I moved to an open-concept home where the kitchen was open to a great room, I chose SS with wood cabinets. White seems too "kitcheny" and, as you say, "white-elephant" in a kitchen that is basically part of the main family living area.

I can deal with black appliances in some kitchens, but never small ones. To me, they suck up too much light. Black glass is a bit reflective, but talk about fingerprints! Given a budget wa-a-ay bigger than the ones I deal with, I would choose custom laminate as shown in some of TSTL's contemporary designs. I don't even hate laminate countertops, depending on their appearance. I also like the vinyl floors shown in one of your designs. But say those words to a Realtor and !!!

Again, congratulations on some really fabulous work. Vancouver's lucky to have The Sky's the Limit.

There are some interesting details in many of these kitchens. My tastes run toward a less busy, more modernist look, but I'm a sucker for effective use of space and love that nook in the first kitchen.

As far as stainless steel appliances go, I must concur that the preoccupation with them has become tiresome, and dare I say, a tad predictable too. Small kitchens, which rarely make it to design mags/blogs unless it's a special feature, often can't carry the shiny look of stainless steel. In fact, I'm seeing the most contemporary designers moving away from SS.

Nevertheless, I appreciate the designer's explanation, in this thread, for an ongoing preference over white appliances. It seems to me, appliance dealers are also partially to blame for the lack of choice regarding colour and finishes. Stainless would look ridiculous in my condo's wee galley, and were I to upgrade there are gorgeous Euro models that haven't caught on in NA yet that I would look into before the high maintenance stainless.

Beautiful spaces. I have a question: we are considering cabinets with an engineered teak veneer, similar to that used in the arts and crafts/tuscan marriage photo above. frankly, the rift-cut oak is a bit cost-prohibitive, and i do understand that there is quite a bit of waste. from perspectives related to both design and durability, what is your opinion about engineered wood veneer? thanks for anything you might be able to share.

@fungotron33 - I use manmade veneers very frequently in my projects. As long as your cabinetmaker applies UV protection and good quality clear lacquers to them you should have no problems with their maintenance.
As I have been informed just the other day by my cabinetmaker, the manmade veneers are actually a bit thicker than regular wood veneers, and lend themselves for refinishing, ie sanding and relacquering in the future. We had that discussion because I suggested the veneer also as a bartop on a current project, and the homeowner was a bit concerned about how the veneer would stand up to the daily use.

I'm curious...
Does anyone have any helpful hints on how to decide whether to go light or dark with kitchen cabinets? I'm torn between the really dark or white. Can go both but would like to hear thoughts.
Thanks!